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“He’s always said that she wasn’t happy those last months,” Piper said. “But that’s bullshit. She was happy. You were all gone off to college and your careers, but I talked to Mom every single day. She was excited about prom and my graduation. We were making plans that she was looking forward to. She wouldn’t just disappear and start a new life. She wouldn’t do it.”
“Dad knows things that he’s not sharing,” Cooper argued. “He may not be a killer, but he’s kept secrets. I believe he’s protecting someone.”
“Who?” Frankie asked. “Dad never cares about anyone but himself.”
“Aunt Kim,” Cooper replied. “He’d protect her. Probably.”
“Christ, you’re all giving me a headache,” Sam groaned. “Listen to all of you, bitching and moaning about things you don’t even understand. You don’t know anything, but you act like you do.”
Cooper jumped out of his chair, sending it crashing into the wall behind him.
“And you do? Are you going to tell us that Dad is totally innocent? That there’s no way he would ever do anything wrong? He’s such a fucking saint, our dad.” Cooper leaned down so he was face to face with his youngest brother. “Dad wouldn’t piss on you if your guts were on fire in the street. Or mine, for that matter. You know it, and I know it.”
Zack’s instinct was always to jump in between his siblings when there was a disagreement. He’d been doing it since they were all kids, and it had become second nature at some point. He’d caught himself beginning to stand, but then forced himself to sit the hell back down. This wasn’t his fight, and he was tired of playing peacemaker and referee. For once, Cooper and Sam were going to have to settle it themselves. As long as they didn’t bust up the joint, it might be good for them to get whatever was driving them out in the open.
The Winslow family didn’t know shit about communication. It might be time to learn some.
Frankie was giving him some side-eye, but Zack deliberately didn’t look her way.
To his surprise, Sam didn’t hop up from his chair or yell back at Cooper. The youngest Winslow sibling simply smiled as if he didn’t have a care in the world.
“You’re right,” he said. “I’ve always known that. Dad only cares about two people - himself and Zack. And when Zack isn’t around, he treats Kim decently. At least financially. I doubt he’s any sort of emotional support, but I guess she has friends for that.”
Zack wanted to say that it wasn’t true. But it was. Whether he liked it or not.
Sam’s attention swung to Zack.
“I know you’re not trying to kiss up to Dad, so relax. You don’t have to be defensive with me. But I will ask this one question. Are you here to take over the firm?”
“Why would he take over the firm?” Cooper said with a scowl. “He’s got a hotshot job on Wall Street. You don’t leave the big leagues to play Little League.”
Sam’s smile grew even wider.
“Zack knows why I brought it up.”
Sam knew. Being in the financial world, Sam had surely gathered a few friends on Wall Street. Maybe more than a few.
“I’m not here to take over the firm. That’s never been something I’ve wanted to do. As far as I’m concerned, you run it and you’re doing a great job. I have no part in it.”
“Then we’re good,” Sam said with a nod. “And as for believing in my father, sadly that ship has sailed. If any one of you had worked with him the last several years, you’d know that no one could keep their rose-colored glasses on. Our father is a total asshole. But a killer? That I’m not so sure.”
“He knows more than he’s letting on,” Frankie said.
“You’re probably right,” Sam said. “Joel Winslow is a jerk, but he’s not stupid. If he’s done anything wrong, he’s covered his tracks well. I’ve been closer to him on a day-to-day basis than almost anybody, but I don’t know his secrets. He only confides in one person. And it’s not me.”
“Rick?” Cooper guessed. “Or Henry?”
Rick was Joel’s brother and Henry was his best friend.
“It would be Aunt Lisa,” Tate replied. “Remember when Rick used to tell us stories about how Lisa would cover for Dad when he would do something wrong? She’d get in trouble, and he’d skip out on any punishment.”
“You’d think she’d be getting tired of that then,” Zack observed. “They were kids. I haven’t seen her cover for Dad since they’ve grown up.”
“Just because we haven’t seen it doesn’t mean it’s not happening,” Piper said. “Before Mom disappeared, Aunt Lisa was at the house all the time. She’d come and stay for weeks on end. I don’t think Mom was thrilled about it, but she never said anything out loud.”
“All I know is that Henry and Dad are practically attached at the hip,” Sam replied. “They spend a great deal of time together. If Dad trusts anyone - and I’m not sure that he does - it would be Henry.”
Is that why Sam had stayed working for their father? To keep an eye on him? Sam might be the smartest one of them all.
